The New BSA Rules ; Need Your Opinion's

[TAL]

Super Stock BSA Car Specs

# ps 1. Overall width of any part of the car cannot exceed 2 3/4"

# ps 2. Overall length of any part of the car cannot exceed 7"

# ps 3. Overall heigth of any part of the car cannot exceed 3"

# ps 4. Overall weight of the car cannot exceed 5.00 Ounces

# ps 5. Minimum width between the inside hubs (where the inside
hubs touch the car ) is 1 5/8"
( note to racers: 1 3/4" width between inside hubs is recommended )

# ps 6. Minimum clearance between bottom of car and track is 1/4"
( note to racer: 3/8 " is highly recomended due to most guide rails
on most tracks are 1/4" high)

# ps 7. Maximum wheel base will not exceed 4 1/2" from center of
front axle to center of the rear axle
(note to racer: Axles must be connected to the main wooden
base of the car by slots or drilled holes ,with either choice the
full and complete axle point must be fully and easily exposed)

# ps 8. Use only BSA axles as included in the BSA kits and the axles
can be reshaped but cannot be added to in any way and the
points of the axles must remain fully visible

# ps 9. Wheels must be the official BSA wheels as stated inside the
wheel and can be reshaped but cannot be added to in any way
and all the official uniform markings and letters inside and out
of the tire, wheel and hub must remain fully and easily
visible for the race inspection


# ps 10. Bottom of the car must remain unpainted and or colored in any
way

# ps 11. Any and all parts of the car must remain clearly and fully
behind the starting gate and or pin when on the track
and at the starting pin or gate

# ps 12. Any and all parts of the car are to be stable and connected
firmly to the car with no moving parts inside or outside
(with exception of the the rolling wheels)

# ps 13. Car must have 4 wheels and can be cambered or lifted if so
desired by the racer

# ps 14. Wheel bearings , washers ,bushings , spacers are not
allowed

# ps 15. Car must be free- wheeling with no starting devices

# ps 16. The car will not use springs ,rubberbands ,magnets ,or any
mechanical devices to enhance speed or manipulate any
electronics used for race purposes

# ps 17. Car must meet all specs and any other specs or rules written
by the organization within reasonable time prior to race day

[Mr. Slick]

This is for STOCK, not Modified or Hot Rod.

#3 Currently at 3.5" in my world.

#5 Do you mean HUBS(where axle meets car) or RIMS(where wheel meets guide rail)? This would eliminate narrowing the front end or moving one of the front wheels in a bit, right?

#7 maintains STOCK axle spacing, but not placement.

#8 would eliminate any plating of the axles and allow for the axle head to be minimized, right? I would change "included in BSA kits" to be "supplied by the BSA"

#9 would allow for H shaped or V shaped wheels? -- I would prefer to require a FLAT TREAD SURFACE and must appear to be unaltered from the outside. . . eliminate drilling holes around the spokes to reduce mass.

#10 - why not also require that the year be carved on the bottom of the car?

#13 - just state that it must have 4 wheels that are free spinning leaving the alignment to the racer. . . camber, toe, etc. . . too technical.

#0 - Thou shall have fun building and racing car
#00 - Thou shall help others as best you can

[Nitro Dan]

I wouldn't have thought that rule #10 would be that necessary... I would have hoped that you could just take people on their word that it isn't the same car from a previous year.

On the flip-side, couldn't someone use a clear sealer on the bottom of the car and just sand or plane the surface the following year (to remove any marks)? I thought Mr. Slick might be jesting when he suggested carving the date on the bottom of the car, but now I see his purpose in this.

-Nitro Dan

[Microwizard]

I can't understand the need for rule 10. Can someone enlighten me? I always paint the top and bottom of the car, It just looks better that way.

[Stephen's Dad]

#10) What is the intent here? There are other ways to insure axle compliance.

The first issue is interpretation. So much as a single brush stroke "around the corner" could DQ a racer. Even the slightest over-spray from a rattle can could result in a DQ.

Next is the matter of humidityvs weight. A well prepared car that is sealed, primed, sanded between coats, painted & clear-coated is not just a beautiful sight to behold. It will also hold it's weight more closely than a car that has 30-40% of it's wood exposed. I've personally hosted races where in the morning cars weighed in at 5.00 oz. Later the same day when a storm started those same cars weighed 5.05-5.10 oz! The only cars that were resistant were those with really nice (and continuous) paint jobs.

[TAL]

We really appreciate your opinions in reference to this subject.....


The intent for # 10 is to easily and visibly to verify #7 that the axles are in the main base of the wood and to also verify that it is pinewood, not balsa, maple or any other material........... We never even thought about the year engraving ( which seems to be a good idea ).... The year marking could easily be done with a felt tip pin near the axles and would sink in and avoid the planning method as mentioned above with a clear coat or sealer placed over the year and pack markings....

Far as brush marking or over spray is getting a little to technical being you are primarily dealing with kids....

And with the myth of moisture , after seeing the reply we became curious of that .......well we put it to rest.......


We took a 1 3/4" wide x 7" long x 1/4" thick peice of pine from a bsa kit that weighed 0.71 ounces and submerged it in water for 5 minutes, and it then weighed 0.75, we then dryed it off and it then weighed 0.74, then 3 hours later the same peice of wood now weighs 0.71 , and to be accurate when we weighed the wood we did so on three different scales each and every time...

We too also think a fully painted car looks better ... But which is better , a fully painted car, or a pinewood derby with out accusations of thats last years car........... Why not put it to rest for the sake of the kids....

Also some of the simplest rules that sound fullish to adults can be very important to kids...

Far as the wheel rules , We are thinking that the approval of wheel modifications will allow the kids to experiment without exspensive tools such as lathes and other required items it takes to balance and spec a wheel........... Only boundries would be to leave all uniform factory markings and letters inside and out and not to add anything primarily to keep them from adding foreign materials so the bore size can be made smaller to accomadate smaller axels.........

We think if they want speed axles they need to make them, not buy them....

Stock wheelbase is 4 3/8" and allowing up to 4 1/2" will allow the child a margin of error being some kids can't even read a ruler muchless drill a precise hole..........


Camber and toe was added just to be sure every one is clear....

Remember in todays world some kids don't have a dad or mom to help them...........

We're not saying let others suffer because of another's misfortune but we feel it should be simple and easy without technicallities such as loop holes in the rules and the rules should be very clear........

If it's not fun and done with simple and easy tools that will lead more to ebay sales and thus being more pinewood derby conflicts , not by the kids but sadly by the parents who sometimes builds the cars due to upgraded technologies.........

Again, thank you for your input and we would like to hear more ....

[rdeis]

#13 is wise.

Many people "feel" that cambering and lifting are not allowed because the instructions don't mention them. Mentioning them reminds those that have forgotton about the idea, and prevents hurt feelings because of misinterpretation.

[OCTom]

Why leave the whole bottom bare? Why not just a small section for verification?